8.2.2: The Comparative and Superlative with Quantity Expressions
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- 256057
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)The Comparative and Superlative with Quantity Expressions
Quantity expressions can also be used for the comparative and the superlative when speaking about adjectives, adverbs, and nouns. Note below:
much--> more -->the most
many--> more--> the most
a lot of--> more -->the most
lots of--> more--> the most
a little -->less--> the least
a few--> fewer--> the fewest
NOTE:
Much, a little, and the least are used with non-count nouns.
Many, a few, and the fewest are used with count nouns.
Examples:
- The first woman is organized. The second woman is more organized than the first woman. The third woman is the most organized of the three women.
- The first woman is not very organized. The second woman is less organized than the first woman. The third woman is the least organized of the three women.
These examples are normal comparative and superlative of an adjective (organized).
With nouns it is a little more difficult, however.
Examples:
- I have many friends. My sister has more friends than I have. My brother has the most friends.
- I have lots of energy. My older son has more energy than I do. My younger has the most energy. In fact, my younger son has much more energy than my older son has. Thus, I have the least energy of the three of us.
- I don’t have much money. My sister has less money than I have. My brother has the least money in our family.
- I have some money. My boss has more money than I have. Elon Musk has the most money in America.
- I have a few problems in life. My friend Roger has fewer problems than I have. Our friend Doug has almost no problems. Doug has the fewest problems of the three of us.
- I have only a little hair. My nephew has less hair than I have. My Uncle Carl has the least hair in our family.
Exercise 2.4: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate quantity expression from the chart.
1. I have 200 books. Roger has 250. Roger has ________ than I have.
2. I spent three hours on my homework. André spent two hours on his homework. Alex spent one hour on his homework. Alex spent _____________time on his homework.
3. Mike has $100. Roger has $40. I have $250. I have ____________money of the three of us.
4. I drank a lot of water, but Roger drank _________ water than I did.
5. I have a lot of clothes. André has less clothes than I have. Alex has ___________ clothes of the three of us.
6. I weigh 201 pounds. André weighs 178 pounds. Alex weighs 250 pounds. Who weighs the most? ____________. Who weighs the least? __________________
7. My husband ___________ hair than either of my sons. (FYI: My husband is bald.)
8. There is lots of water in lakes. There is much ________ water in oceans.
9. Students in lower levels have trouble with grammar. Students in intermediate levels usually have _______ trouble with grammar ________ students in lower level. Students in the highest level usually have __________ trouble with grammar of all.
10. Beginning ESOL is _________advanced ________ intermediate ESOL. On the other hand, Advanced ESOL is ___________difficult ___________ level of ESOL.